


You Can Cry

by moontaeil_i_chil



Series: Inspired By Song Titles [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Oneshot, late night hugs, taeil is stressed, taeyong is taeil's comfort buddy, they both have a big gay crush on each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 06:03:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14586564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moontaeil_i_chil/pseuds/moontaeil_i_chil
Summary: Taeil realizes that he's in way over his head with work and studies. As he's about to have a mental breakdown, he reaches out to Lee Taeyong, who is more than willing to help him feel better.[Title from the song You Can Cry by Marshmello, Juicy J, and James Arthur.]





	You Can Cry

Taeil has always considered himself to be a composed person. 

He's calm in moments of sheer chaos, thinking things through with reason rather than submitting to whatever animalistic thoughts his conscious chucks his way. 

Yet, despite this so-called 'gift' of his, he does have his odd moments of panic, of pain, of overwhelming, bone crushing stress. To say that today caused him to feel all of this and more is an understatement. He's in way deeper than he ever could have calculated. 

Papers, projects, studying, not having enough money for a decent meal- college is really putting him through it. 

He supposes it does the same thing to everyone, since the people around him are stressed all the time. Yuta impulsively bought an arcade machine, since he's apparently going through a midlife crisis. Johnny briefly dug up and revisited his middle school emo phase, something Taeil discovered when he heard My Chemical Romance playing out of Johnny's earbuds at maximum volume. Jaehyun spent three hours sitting on the floor in the middle of his bedroom contemplating life, before realizing that doing so gave him less time to study, and he promptly drove to the library and stayed there for 6 hours. 

They're all stressed. But not like Taeil. 

Currently, Taeil is laying in bed, nearly bursting at the seams from how overwhelmed he is with, well, everything. He had hoped that staring at his ceiling would offer him some sort of comfort, because of all the things in his life, his blank, slightly chipped ceiling is the one thing that remains constant. However, this just stressed him out more, because it was too soon before he realized that his ceiling is the only thing in his life that he can count on to not change.

Taeil knows he needs help. Preferably that of the human variety.

It's late, nearing 2 AM, but Taeil knows that there's one person that will always be there to help him, regardless of the time of day, (or night). 

1:52 AM  
Taeil:  
Taeyong? Are you up?

1:52 AM  
Taeyong:  
I am now.  
What's wrong?

1:53 AM  
Taeil:  
It's kind of hard to explain.  
I'm just really stressed and desperately in need of human company.

1:54 AM  
Taeyong:  
I'll be over in 5.

And so he is. 

It isn't long- nearly 5 minutes on the dot, actually- before Taeyong arrives at Taeil's door. 

It's an overwhelming feeling for Taeil, (just like everything else seems to be nowadays) to see Taeyong stood in front of him, still clad in his pajamas, hair still messy as though he'd risen from his pillow merely seconds ago.

It makes Taeil's eyes water. 

Within a moment, Taeil has thrown himself into Taeyong's arms, burying his head into the younger's shoulder and encircling his hands around his waist. Taeyong's fingers find Taeil's hair almost instinctively, giving a comforting series of pets and strokes as a means of calming down the distressed man.

"Shh..." Taeyong whispers, wrapping an arm around Taeil and holding him closer. "It's okay. You're okay. Everything is okay."

It takes every ounce of self control remaining in Taeil's body to keep himself from bursting into tears right then and there. Held so tightly, so warmly, so comfortably and comfortingly. The mere idea of an embrace like this is enough to make his knees weak.

Taeyong whispers again, this time as a means of coaxing tears out of Taeil's eyes.

"You can cry, you know. It's okay to let your emotions out every once in a while." Murmurs the younger, a gentle tone to his voice.

That's all it takes.

One moment, Taeil is trying so very hard to keep himself composed, and the next, he's a sobbing mess, leaning into the shoulder of the only person who he could ever even imagine being this vulnerable in front of. Suddenly the floodgates containing all of his stress and pain are opened, pouring the physical embodiment of his distress (read: tears) all over Taeyong's pajama shirt.

The two stay like that for a few minutes, letting Taeil release his emotions. Taeyong knows he needs it, so he doesn't say a word. He simply keeps running his hands through Taeil's hair and rubbing small circles around the center of his back.

After Taeil has managed to rid his body of every tear he's capable of producing, he steps back, wiping at his eyes once more. 

"I'm sorry," He begins, realizing only now that he hadn't even said a word to the younger boy before he started pathetically bawling into his shoulder, "I've just... Bit off more than I can chew. With classes, with people, with managing a job on the side just to keep myself fed..." His voice trails off into silence then, and it seems as though he might burst into tears again by simply thinking about his recent struggles. 

Taeyong decides to interject before Taeil can work himself up into a fit of tears for the second time tonight. 

"Hey, calm down," Says the younger, gently rubbing his hand up and down Taeil's arm. (Taeil won't admit it, but he nearly melts at the gesture.) "Take deep breaths. It'll help."

Taeil decides to follow Taeyong's suggestion, breathing in, holding his breath, and then slowly exhaling. He manages to fully calm down, rather than launching himself into another breakdown. He's grateful for that. 

Taeyong hums once he realizes that Taeil is now fully relaxed. He also realizes that it is now well past 2 in the morning. 

"You should probably get to sleep," Taeyong mutters, already able to see the sleep slowly overtaking Taeil's features. "It's getting late, and I'm sure you're exhausted." 

Taeil nods, acknowledging the time and steps back a bit, heading towards his room.

As Taeyong quietly walks towards the front door, Taeil's voice softly calls out. 

"Taeyong," He begins, his voice soft as a feather, "you wouldn't mind staying the night, would you? I'm feeling really vulnerable right now and I'm not too keen on sleeping alone tonight." 

Taeyong has to hold back a smile, not wanting to come on too strong by looking too excited about Taeil's proposition. Secretly, he had been hoping Taeil would suggest something like this. 

"Of course." Says Taeyong, who promptly begins walking towards Taeil's bedroom. 

Taeil is the first to fall onto the bed, clearly at the human equivalent of having 2% battery power left. He falls clumsily, landing in a position that makes him look like a sea star, or like someone who's ready to make snow angels in the bedsheets. Taeyong has to hold back his urge to coo at the way Taeil's face mushes up against his pillow. 

The younger climbs in soon thereafter, getting comfortable under the blanket. Taeil follows suit, adjusting himself under the red and blue patterned quilt. 

As the two are about to drift to sleep, Taeil turns to face Taeyong, muttering out one last word.

"Cuddle?" He asks, his bottom lip jutted out slightly into a pout. 

Taeyong gives a sleepy smile at the request, pulling Taeil in close, letting the older get comfortable in his embrace. 

The two fall asleep like that, peaceful, happy, and maybe just a little bit in love, even though neither of them are ready to admit it just yet.


End file.
